Inheritance
by yusukesgirl2005
Summary: Two seemingly normal College Students in North Florida get a shock when five Soul Reapers enter their lives... Read inside for full summary...
1. Two Worlds

Jewelz and Jonah Bluewind are two of your average North Florida college students…that is until five of Soul Society's highest ranking Soul Reapers show up out of the blue to tell them that their mother, long since gone, turned out to be a Japanese liaison for the Soul Society. This is where we begin our story for our troubled Students…

Chapter 1 – Two Worlds

"What a great song," I murmured to myself. "I wish that Mom were around to listen to it."

"Jewelz! Dinner!"

I groaned and rolled off my bed. After turning my small stereo off, I made my way downstairs to the kitchen. Shortly after Jonah was born, Mom disappeared to who knows where, leaving Dad to take care of a one year old toddler and a newborn. I yawned, stretched and stopped at the kitchen sink to wash my hands. My brother was already cooking the chicken in the oven, so I went to the pantry and pulled out the canned green beans and carrots. I went to look for the can opener and, not finding it in its proper drawer, turned to Dad.

"Where's the can opener, Dad?"

"In its drawer. Why?"

"It's not in there. Unless you want only chicken tonight for dinner, you might as well tell me where it really is."

Jonah tapped me on the shoulder. I looked over my shoulder at him to see that he was spinning the object of my desire in his fingers. I took it from him before he could drop and break it.

_Thanks_, I signed. _Dad's no help any more._

Jonah's deaf, so I've been signing for as long as I can remember. He made a quick reply before turning back to the poultry in the oven. He may be deaf, but he's not stupid and I love him for the way he makes me laugh. I opened the cans and made to dump them into a pot when I realized that I didn't have a pot to dump them in. I nudged my younger brother's foot with my toes.

_Where's the pot for the veggies?_

_On the stove, sister_, he answered. _Where else would it be? The chicken is almost done anyways._

I looked and, sure enough, sitting on the back burner of the stove, was the pot that was always used for our fresh and canned vegetables. I dumped the beans and carrots in simultaneously before turning the right knob. After a few minutes, Jonah motioned for me to get out of the way for him to open the oven and retrieve our main entrée. I sidestepped to my left, taking the cooked vegetables with me.

"Dinner is ready, Dad. Could you set the table please? Jonah and I have homework to finish after we get done cleaning up the kitchen."

He stood, shuffled around with the silverware from the drawer next to the refrigerator and pulled three plates down from the cabinet next to the stove hood.

An hour and a half later, I was lying on my stomach on my bed with my calculus book propped open on my pillow. I still didn't understand what the professor wanted us to do, so I exasperatedly shut my book and shifted both it and my notes to my bedside table. I flipped over onto my back and stared at my ceiling while I listened to Phil Collins's greatest hits blaring out of my stereo. A few minutes later, my lights flickered. I raised my head just enough to see Jonah standing in my doorway. I sat up and patted the bed at the end of my feet.

_What's up, baby?_ I asked when he sat down.

_I met some people at school today, sister,_ he replied. _They were saying things that were sort of…I don't know…disturbing. They were talking about a place called S-o-u-l S-o-c-e-i-t-y and people called S-o-u-l R-e-a-p-e-r-s. What do you think about it, sister?_

I tapped my chin for a second in thought. _I can't be sure about any of it, baby. Do you want Nathaniel and Carrie to come over?_

His face brightened and he nodded. I picked up my phone and dialed Nathaniel first. I told him to try to get a hold of Carrie and to come over as soon as possible. I hung up and turned back to my younger brother.

_Did you get anything else from them, baby?_

_They had foreign names. I asked the bald one to write their names down. They're Japanese. I have the paper with me._ He pulled out a folded sheet of notebook paper. _He wrote their names in Japanese characters. The short one went behind him and wrote everything out in English._

I looked at the names. _I know two of them from my C-a-l-c-u-l-u-s class and the other three from my English Literature class. Did the short on have white hair and green eyes?_

_Yes. The bald one had what looked like red eye-shadow on._

_What about the redhead with the tattoos?_

_Yeah. His hair looks like a pineapple in the ponytail._

_The guy with the feather?_

_Yeah. Why would anyone want to attach feathers to their face?_

_The blonde with the authority issues?_

_Especially him. Shorty, Baldy, and Blondie are in my Political Science class. Red and Feathers are in my Humanities class._

I smiled at his nicknames for them. _Tell me what you can about Feathers._

He took a deep breath, a thoughtful look on his smooth features. He went to launch into what he could about the person in question when the lights flickered again. I held up my hand to stop Jonah from turning around.

"Your friends are here, Jewelz."

"Thanks, Dad. Tell them to come on up."

"There are also some other kids with them that claim to be in a couple of your classes."

_Speak of the devil,_ I told my brother. _Our school friends are here, too. Come on._

I swung my legs off and over the edge of my bed, Jonah following my lead. I smiled at my father as I pushed past him, making for the stairs. I slid down the railing. I turned just in time to catch Jonah before he landed on his head, breaking his neck. He signed a quick thanks as we both turned to the rather large group standing the foyer. Sure enough, Nathaniel and Carrie were standing there with the Japanese kids, segregating themselves into two separate groups.

"Hey, guys! Now tell me something. Why all the animosity towards each other?"

"Their feel is different from everyone else in town, Jewelz," Nathaniel answered. "I don't trust them if you ask me."

_"I agree,"_ Carrie said. _"Why they're here is what I'd like to know."_

"Would you care to elaborate on _why_ they feel different, Nathaniel?"

"Well, first and foremost," he started, "no one around here is shorter than five-foot-six, has white hair and gives everyone the cold shoulder. To add insult to injury, he looks more like an elementary aged kid rather than a college student. Second of all, who in the living bloody hell attaches feathers to their eyebrow and eyelash? He looks like he's about to compete with every peacock at the Zoo. And, dude, what's with the red eye-shadow? You look as gay as your feathered friend. Lastly…there is no lastly, really. Red is cool and Blondie needs to learn to stand up for himself."

The short white haired kid was twitching, Feathers was being held back by Baldy, and the other two were just standing there. Red was tugging on his left earlobe and staring at the ceiling. Blondie was shuffling his feet and wringing his hands.

"Who's who here?"

"Toshiro Hitsugaya." Shorty.

"Renji Abarai." Red.

"Yumichika Ayasegawa." Feathers.

"Ikkaku Madarame." Baldy.

"Izuru Kira." Blondie.

"Good. You obviously know us so what do you want with me and my little brother?"

"You both are leaking reiatsu, or spiritual pressure. It's almost overwhelming being this close to it. Fill them in, Renji."

"But, Captain. Why me? Why not get Kira to do it? Yumichika and Ikkaku won't do it, will they?"

"Kira tends to babble and those two Eleventh idiots get sidetracked with their own arguments. That's why I chose you, you stupid Pineapple Head."

Renji's shoulders slumped as he turned away from the short white haired Captain.

"Do you want me and Jonah alone or can Nathaniel and Carrie sit in?"

"Just you and Jonah, Jewelz. Oi! Yumichika! Ikkaku! Entertain them for a while."

_Go with them, guys,_ I told my two friends. _Come on, Jonah. I want to finish my homework before classes tomorrow. "Kitchen or dining room?"_

"Kitchen. I know that Jonah can read lips but you will have to translate what he says to me. I take it your other friend, the girl, also has a hearing problem?"

"Yeah. And yes, Jonah can read lips. He prefers actual hand signs to the spoken word though. Right, baby?"

_Yes. Teach him. If not for me, then at least for Carrie. It'll be fun to watch him struggle._

I translated all but the last sentence, a confused look on the red-head's face. He sat down in the chair closest to the garage, Jonah claiming the chair across from him. I leaned up against the counter next to the fridge. I knew that I would be distracted if I sat down so I stood there and stared at him until he started fidgeting with the glasses on his head.

"Well, Renji. Are you going to talk or not? Like I said a few minutes ago, I have homework I want to finish before my classes tomorrow."

"I wish Rukia were here. She's better at explaining this than I am. I'll explain what I can in layman's terms."

He sighed heavily and told me what he was and how it affected me and Jonah. Then he went on and on about the Soul Reaper Academy.

"Wait. We have to go to school to learn how to become a Soul Reaper?"

_Jewelz. What does he mean he mean by S-o-u-l R-e-a-p-e-r A-c-d-e-m-y? Going to college is hard enough, sister._

_I know, baby._ "Care to elaborate on what the Academy does specifically, Red?"

"It basically specializes in four main areas. Zanjutsu is more or less swordsmanship. Hakuda is hand to hand combat. Kido is an offensive kind of magic if you will. And Hoho are more or less a defensive sort of flash step. Zanjutsu and Kido are the only two classes that I was ever any good at."

_We might get hurt if we take part in the Z-a-n-j-u-t-s-u class, sister. Besides you know how clumsy I am with a blade._

_Yeah, I know,_ I answered. "Jonah is a bit of a klutz when it comes down to using a blade of any kind. I have a scar on my lower back to prove it. Anything else you care to tell us while we're here, Red?"

He thought for a second. "The Gotei Thirteen. All thirteen squads are headed by a Captain. They are helped, or not, by their Lieutenants. My oh-so-mighty Captain is Byakuya Kuchiki. Hitsugaya is the captain of the Tenth Division. His ditzy Lieutenant is Rangiku Matusmoto. Kira is the Acting Captain, a substitute really, of the Third Division. Madarame is the Third Seat of the Eleventh Division and the only living one to have a Bankai, or secondary release, for his Zanpaku-to. Ayasegawa is the Fifth Seat of the Eleventh and close to achieving Bankai himself. The Eleventh Division is headed by Captain Kenpachi Zaraki and Lieutenant Yachiru Kusajishi. I used to be among their ranks until I was offered the position of Sixth Division's Lieutenant. I was also Kira's year mate at the Academy. Any more questions?"

Jonah and I looked at each other for a minute. I was about to answer when Kira burst in, breathing like he had just sprinted a mile…and he was wearing a black uniform of some kind.

"Renji! Hollows! Five hundred meters out. Ikkaku and Toshiro are holding them off. Ayasegawa can't be found anywhere."

"Damn," Red muttered. "You two are coming. Pop these."

I almost questioned him about what he was asking me to swallow but he glared at me and I did as I was told. I felt a slight tug as my body lurched forward and sprawled across the table, followed shortly by Jonah's seemingly inanimate form. I noticed that my consciousness had stayed where I was standing by the fridge. The same thing must have happened to Jonah because he tugged on my loose black sleeve. I looked down to see that I was dressed exactly like Kira as was Jonah. There was an extremely long sword strapped to my back and I had pouches at my hips with multiple throwing daggers. Jonah's sword was strapped at his waist and he had what looked like a medical first aid pack on his back.

"Great," Renji mumbled. "Just what we need. A stealth force operative and a deaf medic. Kira! Look for that coward Ayasegawa. Jewelz and Jonah are going to meet their first Hollow."

The look the red head gave me sent chills down my spine as he stood and popped a pill. The electricity that surrounded him set my hair on edge. His tattoos stood out less because of the black of his uniform which only drew attention to his dark red hair. He made to move toward the front door when he stopped, a horrified look briefly crossing his features. A second or two later, I felt _something_ more potent than fear crawl up my back and a scream sound in my ears. Jonah must have felt it too because his hand clenched in my sleeve.

_What was that, sister?_

"That was the feel of a Hollow's reiatsu and the sound of a screaming soul. Let's move out."

I followed the pineapple's lead through the front door, Jonah close behind me. Before we had gone a few hundred meters, Renji stopped and looked up. I followed his upward gaze. I stumbled back a few steps and, my feet tangling in the loose part of my bottoms, fell flat on my ass. The two…no three things I noticed about the _monstrosity_ I was looking at were the bleached bone mask, the hole in its chest where the heart would normally be, and it was easily two or three times the size of my bedroom if not bigger. Jonah tugged on my sleeve again.

_Not now, baby._ "What do you have to do to get rid of something like that, Red?"

"Watch and learn, Jewelz, watch and learn."

Renji practically disappeared from my line of sight before my eyes caught him again, this time behind the monster on the roof of a nearby building. Two black clad figures flashed by me and my brother to join the Sixth Division Lieutenant. I pulled Jonah close, yanked out a dagger from a hip pouch and threw it at the Hollow's mask. My dagger hit the monster in the forehead. It gave a long agonized screech before seemingly dissolving into nothing, my small insignificant dagger clattering on the hard concrete roof.

"Nice shot, Jewelz. None of us could get past that things damned reiatsu shield."

"Can we go home now? Dad's probably going crazy with our limp bodies lying around the kitchen like noodles. Please?"

Toshiro whipped around to glare at the red-headed man that towered over him. "You didn't explain the concept of Soul Candy to them? You stupid red-headed pineapple! I don't care if there are FIFTY Hollows with a five thousand meter radius! Next time, you had better explain everything before I start pulling strings with your Captain to have you removed as Lieutenant!"

Someone cleared their throat behind me followed by a soft chuckle making me jump almost a foot in the air. I turned to see Kira and Ayasegawa standing there, the former looking frightened about being on the receiving end of Toshiro's anger and the latter smiling almost idiotically at the exchange between the short white-haired Captain and the taller red-headed Lieutenant. I felt Jonah relax a little as he leaned into me. The tension between the Tenth Captain and the Sixth Lieutenant made me want to knock their heads together just to get them to keep from exchanging blows with their swords. I knew it was a bad idea, so I just left them alone with their anger, knowing that they would eventually get over it. I stayed where I was, pulling Jonah closer to me. He nudged me in the ribs.

_What is it, baby?_

_I want to go home, sister. I still have my Humanities paper to write and I have to finish answering those questions from my Political Science class._

"Um, guys? Jonah and I have to get home, you know. We still have homework to finish before our classes tomorrow. Or have you forgotten that little fact while you were fighting?"

Toshiro closed his eye and snorted, a vein working in his left temple and his arms crossed over his chest. Kira still looked frightened that he might have gotten on Toshiro's last nerve, Renji was still glaring at the four-and-a-half-foot tall Captain, and Ikkaku and Ayasegawa were hanging all over each other, laughing silently to themselves. I rolled my eyes, let go of my brother and slapped Ikkaku's bald head on my past him and tugging on Ayasegawa's feathers in the process. I could hear both men grumbling about how abusive I was as they both started following me and Jonah.

Upon arriving home, my animated body jumped me and started yammering about worried it was about me. I pried its arms from around my neck as Jonah's body started doing the same thing, only in sign language. Renji pulled a red fingerless glove out of the folds of his top, yanked it onto his right hand and slapped the back of our bodies' heads in an almost aggravated manner. The "Soul Candy" that he had us swallow earlier came out as small yellowish pills and nodded that we could put claim to our bodies again. I slipped into my now limp form and almost immediately felt like I had been wrapped in chains, head to foot.

"That one's almost worst that Chappy when Rukia goes Soul Reaper," Renji stated. "I'll have to talk to Kisuke about that in a few days when I order more Soul Candy. Now where's mine?"

"Renji-kun! Can I get out of this body now? It feels funny."

"Come here, you," the red-head growled. "I hate it when you say that being in my gigai feels funny, so you can bite your tongue."

"But it does, Red."

Renji forced himself into his body, the small yellow orb popping out of his mouth. A few seconds later, Kira, Toshiro, Ikkaku and Ayasegawa walked in the front door, their bodies their own once more. The blonde substitute Captain gave me the once over to make sure it was me and not the foreign soul he was looking at.

"See something you like, Blondie?"

"Maybe," he mumbled, looking to his fellow Soul Reapers for help.

Toshiro was leaning against the door frame, arms crossed and looking at the distantly setting moon and stars. Ikkaku and Ayasegawa were arguing at the kitchen table while Renji rummaged through the refrigerator for something to eat. That's when I saw it. They were dressed in whatever they thought would pass for acceptable here in the States.

Toshiro was in a button down dark green camper shirt and dark blue bell bottoms that would look good on a teeny bopper. Renji had on a multi-pocketed khaki vest over a loud tie-dye t-shirt and a pair of loose fitting stone washed jeans. Kira was wearing a tight blue top with a Hello Kitty head on the chest and black skinny jeans that should be forever outlawed around me. Ikkaku had on a small tight pink shirt, _I'm not short…I'm fun-sized_ printed on it, and tight blue jeans that looked about three inches too short. Ayasegawa had on a shirt covered in hibiscus flowers and a pair of light blue bell bottoms with a dragon stitched on them to look like it was crawling out of the left pocket.

Jonah tugged on my sleeve, a concerned look on his thin features. Under that concern was something that I thought was lost forever after we started college. It was a look of laughter.

"What's wrong, baby?"

_I just noticed how they're all dressed, sister,_ he answered. _Everything happened too fast earlier for me to notice. And Ikkaku looks like he went through your closet about eight years ago. Everyone else looks almost normal._

"Jonah!" _He is a guest in this house and you have no right to criticize my clothing from more than five years ago. Besides that used to be one of my favorite shirts._

My peripheral vision caught everyone's jump of shock when I loudly scolded my brother. Everyone except Toshiro, who was sitting in the front doorway by this point. He merely glanced over his shoulder at us before turning his teal gaze back to the setting moon. Jonah was grinning evilly at this point. I pointed upstairs from where I stood by the dishwasher, giving my younger brother the ultimate death glare. He pouted and pushed his chair back, the legs scrapping across the tiles. Before he could get two steps, he stumbled and nearly fell face first onto the hardwood floor of the front foyer had it not been for Toshiro catching him around the shoulders. I raced over to my younger brother to see that he was silently screaming in pain and attempting to scratch at his eardrums.

"What's wrong with him, Jewelz?"

"I don't know. Dad! Call Doctor Manifred right away. Something's wrong with Jonah. Help me move him, Toshiro. We have to get him to calm down before we take him to the hospital."


	2. Promise in Compromise

Chapter 2 – Promise in Compromise

A month and a half later, Jonah was recuperating quite well.

_How do you feel right now, baby?_ I asked.

_Like I'm moving across the bottom of the ocean. Like the cursed pirates in the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie. Remember, sister?_

_Yeah, I remember,_ I signed. _Get some more rest. I miss my joking little brother._

He smiled and turned over on his bed. Someone knocked on the doorframe. I looked up to see Kira standing there, looking at everything in my brother's room except me. I pulled Jonah's favorite Prates of the Caribbean blanket over him and stood up off the twin sized bed.

"What's up, Kira?"

"Renji just got orders to escort you and Jonah to the Seireitei when he gets better," he answered. "How's he doing anyways?"

"He gets better every day," I offered. "I miss his jokes though. Ever since that first Hollow incident, he just hasn't been the same. I've changed some too over the last month and a half, I guess."

"Everyone changes after they slay their first Hollow. Renji, Shuhei, Momo and I definitely changed. Renji got his first tattoo, Shuhei got the three scars over his right eye and both Momo and I developed our 'authority issues,' as your friend Nathaniel calls them. I don't know about anyone else."

"You don't even want to know, Kira," Toshiro stated from behind the blonde Captain. "Hollows. A mile out. You're both needed there. Pop a Soul Candy and come on."

I did as I was told, my body staying behind to watch over my younger brother. I followed the two captains as they in turn followed the directions on what they called their Soul Pagers. When they stopped, I recognized that we were no more than a couple hundred feet from the hospital where we took Jonah to get him checked out. Toshiro must have seen the look of recognition on my face because he nodded at my assumption. I visibly shuddered at the thought of fighting another monster on familiar ground. A few minutes later, I saw Renji, Ikkaku and Ayasegawa arrive out of the corner of my eye.

"Are you sure the coordinates are right, Hitsugaya-Taichou?"

The white haired, green eyed prodigy double checked the coordinates on his Soul Pager before nodding at the tattooed red headed Lieutenant. Then I felt it. The feel of fear multiplied by ten thousand. I shuddered again when Toshiro began issuing orders about where to attack from and how many should attack from each angle before turning to me.

"You, Jewelz, will be the bait to drag the thing out into the open. That is a direct order from a direct superior. Understood?"

I nodded, scowling at the four and a half foot tall Tenth Division Captain. I went and leaned against a nearby wall, lighting up a smoke that I miraculously had in the black fold of my top. Before I even got half way through the cigarette, a shadow approached my feet and I looked up. A Hollow was no more than ten feet from me. I quickly drew the sword across my back. As I was pulling it out of the sheath, I swung it downward across the bleached bone mask of the monstrosity as it drew closer.

"Jewelz, no!"

Kira's scream came too late. Instead of slicing through the mask, it only chipped of about a square foot section over the right eye. The human seeming eye looking back at me made me stop in my tracks and just before I took a second swing at it. The eye looking back at me for that one eternal moment belonged to my mother, disappeared for twenty-three years and probably dead for just as long.

"Mom," I whispered.

She was beginning to dissolve when a segmented blade sliced what was left of her mask in half. She finished dissolving with an agonized scream, which was cut short. I threw myself at Renji. He stopped me with the hilt of his segmented blade, grabbed my sword hilt just above my left hand and yanked my sword out of my grip. I tried desperately to reach his face so that I could scratch his eyes out. Before I could get my hands to their destination, someone said something and my arms snapped behind my back painfully. I twisted around, fell over and saw that it was Toshiro who said whatever it was he had said. I glared at him.

"What the hell, Shorty?!" I yelled at him. "That was my mother! I haven't seen her since I was a year old, you short little bastard!"

"That _thing_ wasn't your mother, Jewelz," Kira answered softly. "That was her twin sister. Your mother is alive and well. The only thing is finding her before she commits suicide and becomes a Hollow. Right, Taichou?"

The prodigy sighed, nodded and muttered what I guess was the counter to what he had used on me when I wanted to get my hands on Renji. I still did at that point. I took a deep breath, let it out and looked at the five men around me because Ikkaku and Ayasegawa had joined us then.

"I'm still pretty pissed at _you_, Renji. And why didn't you tell me that my mother had an identical twin sister, you blonde twit?!"

He shrugged and looked nervously at his fellow captain. I wanted to punch the blonde in the stomach, but I held back, turned and ran back to the house. The feeling I got with them around faded. Well, all but one did. I knew it was the blonde substitute captain because all five men had distinctive _feels_ about them. I slowed down enough for Kira to catch up to me. When a stitch started in my left side, I stopped and leaned my right shoulder against the wall I had stopped at. Kira stopped next to me, laying his right hand on my left shoulder. I smiled sadly at him, my arms wrapped securely around my middle.

"I didn't tell you because I was scared. To be honest, I'm scared of just about everything. Well, everything that has even the slightest bit of a temper."

"Nathaniel is right, you know," I panted. "You really do need to stand up for yourself, Kira. I just wish that it could be now. You need to stand up for what you believe in as a captain."

"I know," he whispered, leaning down and brushing his lips against mine. "I believe in a lot of things as a captain. One of them being my love for you, Jewelz."

I shut my eyes and roughly pushed him away. I really liked Kira, but not the way he wanted me to like him. He was easy to talk to and a fun drunk when I thought about it. I heard him stumble a few steps before catching his balance on an old metal trash can. I opened my eyes to see a hurt look on his face but he still had his heart in his light green eyes.

"I'm sorry, Kira," I said quietly. "I like you, but not the way you want me to like you. Besides, I had just gotten out of a really bad relationship with a guy I knew since middle school. I need time to recuperate right now. Is that too much to ask for?"

"No, I guess not," he replied. "The others are heading back to the house now, so we might as well head back, too."

I nodded and followed shortly behind him as we made our way back to the house. I thought back to the relationship that I had just mentioned to the blonde captain. I felt tears building up as I knew they would upon thoughts of Jacob Blackwood.

_(Flashback – Six Months Ago)_

_"Hey, Jewelz! Why won't you talk to me anymore? I miss our late night homework sessions."_

_"If I told you once, Jacob, I told you a thousand times. Lay off and leave me alone. And don't even think about dragging Jonah into this. Just because he's deaf doesn't mean he's stupid."_

_"You're still mine, Jewelz," he muttered, walking off._

_I rolled my eyes and walked into the classroom where my English Literature class was being held. I took my seat in the front row next to Carrie, pulling out my book and notebook. I started chewing on the end of my pen, thinking about the best way to get rid of Jacob. A sharp crack brought me back to reality. I realized that my professor was standing over me, his three-foot long yardstick resting across my desk._

_"I will not tolerate daydreaming in the class, Miss Bluewind," he scolded. "That goes for everyone in that doesn't want to go to the Dean for disciplinary actions. Understood?"_

_A few seconds later, he nodded to himself and walked back to the front of the auditorium style classroom, his yardstick over his shoulder. Just as he was starting his lecture on Shakespeare, a knock sounded on the door. I looked up as Jacob walked in, a disapproving look on his tan features. Following him into the large room were three other people, all of which looked Asian. Two of them had to be at least six feet tall, give or take two inches. The third was about an inch shorter than me and had feathers attached to his right eyebrow and eyelashes. I would have laughed had Carrie not nudge me in the ribs to keep me quiet. I looked at her while Jacob talked to Professor Billingslea._

_"Miss Bluewind, if you would be so kind as to show these three gentlemen around our lovely college campus. You may go with her, Miss Blackstone."_

_It's Black_rock_, Carrie signed forcefully as we stood, left and waved the three transfer students behind us toward the door. _

_As soon as we reached the library, I stopped and turned toward the three men following behind my friend and me. _

_"Your silence has reached its limit with me," I said quickly. "I need names and address from all three of you goons."_

_"We're not at liberty to give you that information just yet," the red head stated, sternly. "We were only told to get to know the campus, not our classmates."_

_(End Flashback)_

I shook my head as I sat down at the kitchen table. Toshiro and Kira were making only God knows what for dinner. Renji was lounging in the chair across from me. I could see Ikkaku and Ayasegawa on the couch, the bald head of the former in the lap of the feathered freak. I sighed heavily as Jonah slumped into the chair next to mine. He tapped the back of my left hand to get my attention.

_What's for dinner, sister?_

_Beats the hell out of me,_ I answered. "What's for dinner tonight, Shorty?"

His shoulders tensed for a second before they slumped in hard exasperation. I knew I hit a nerve when I called him "Shorty" rather than "Hitsugaya-Taichou." I snickered at the thought.

"Fish, rice, miso soup and green tea. I would say sushi but that's more Kotetsu-Fukutaichou. Right, Kira?"

The blonde substitute captain nodded as he looked over his shoulder longingly at me. I realized then that the shortest member of the visiting gang was staring at me like I had the plague or something. I sighed again, stood and waved Kira behind me into the hallway leading to the master bedroom. I leaned against the wall, Kira sitting cross-legged across from me. I slid down until I was crouching.

"Do you really like me, Kira?"

"Yes. But it's more than just liking you, Jewelz. I believe in love at first sight. And when I fall in love, I become fiercely loyal. Just ask Renji. Why does it bother you so much?"

"It's not that it bothers me. It's just that I thought that I would have more time to get over my most recent relationship. But I guess that I won't need it because I can't rest with you always chasing me, Izuru Kira."

He nodded as we stood and placed his hands on my upper arms, just above my elbows. I cupped his elbows, leaning my forehead against his. I smiled at the contact. Something felt right about us just standing there in the darkened hallway, touching each other. I gently touched my lips to his in a rather chaste kiss. He deepened it, sliding his tongue along my lower lip. I slowly opened my mouth to allow him entrance when I feta double vibration on the wall behind me. I broke the kiss with Kira and turned my head to see that it was Jonah that had knocked on the wall.

"What does he want, Jewelz?"

I twisted around in Kira's arms and looked at my brother.

_What's up, baby?_

_Dinner is ready, sister. T-o-s-h-i-r-o wanted me to come and get you and K-i-r-a so that you two wouldn't get too caught up in whatever it is that you are doing._

_Alright,_ I answered. "Come on, Izuru. Time for dinner. Or so T-o-s-h-i-r-o says. I'm hungry anyways."

"I could think of-"

"Don't even go there, Izuru Kira," I scolded, cutting him off. "I know a guy's mind better than you think I do. Or have you forgotten the little fact that I grew up in a house where testosterone runs rampart?"

"Sorry, Jewelz," he mumbled.

I chuckled, broke away from his embrace and patted him on the shoulder. He smiled brightly at me before heading to the kitchen to help with what he could for the short Tenth Division Captain. I imagined Toshiro desperately trying to reach the cabinetry above the refrigerator without the help of someone at least a foot and a half taller than him.

"Jewelz! I thought you said you were hungry tonight. Come on! Renji's setting the table for all of us to eat together."

"Could you grab a plate for each of us, Izuru? I'll be upstairs waiting for you."

He gave me confused look, nodded and disappeared back into the kitchen. I raced upstairs to my room and began to desperately dig around in my closet for the emergency candles I kept in case of a major storm. I pulled out the candle holders as well and set everything up on a towel on my dresser. I lit both candles with my lighter and sat down on my bed to wait for Kira. A few minutes later, Izuru Kira, my future boy-toy, walked into the room, a teapot balanced on his blonde head and a tray in his hands with two plates of food and two small china cups with no handles.

"Dinner is ready, milady," he said, carefully kneeling after setting the tray on my old worn wooden dresser.

He took the teapot from the top of his head and set it by his feet, then grasped both my hands in his before looking into my eyes with all of his love. I blushed and turned my attention to the steaming plates on my aged dresser.

"I'm hungry, Izuru," I whispered. "I would hate to see our food get cold because you want to ravish me with kisses all night. I know that you have to be hungry as well."

He shrugged his shoulders in defeat before standing and grabbing the teapot. He filled both cups before handing one to me along with a plate. He grabbed his own cup and plate and sat cross-legged at my feet with a worried looking grin on his thin pale features.

"Why the candles, Jewelz?"

"Atmosphere," I answered. "I thought you might like the concept of eating by flickering candle light. It used to work on me all the time when Jacob and I were together."

"Jacob?"

"The guy that won't leave me alone. He swears that I'm still the only one for him in the entire world."

"Not when he sees you with me and the others. Jonah could be a bit of help with the whole thing if you want him to be."

Our dinner conversation slowly turned from my relationship with Jacob to the slowly forming relationship between the two of us. Our tastes were pretty much the same with the main difference being where out loyalties lie.

"But how did you become so loyal to that defecting bastard anyways?"

"I guess it's because I knew that I would always care for him. My parents died when I was young, so he turned out to be almost like a father figure, only more coldhearted than a father should be. Then Second Division Captain Soi Fon recommended Shusuke Amagai for the position of Captain. Some people say that it wouldn't work on just her word. And it lasted only about a month anyways. So, I started out in the Fifth Division under Sosuke Aizen but then I was transferred to the Third to serve under Gin. I was in the Fourth under Unohana-Taichou for a short while before getting to where I was under Gin. So now I am acting captain with no lieutenant and it's hard. I even heard rumors that some have said that I look depressed all the time."

"Is he in here divulging all of my dirty little secrets again?"

"Shut up, Renji," Kira said. "I'm in here to talk about me, not you or anyone else. However, I do have one question for you. What do you remember about being under Aizen-Taichou?"

Renji made a thoughtful face. "He was a cold hearted bastard that seemed to care only about two things: power and Gin Ichimaru. I hate to break it to you, Kira, but Ichimaru never really cared about you or anything else. He took advantage of you and your damned loyalty. Or at least he tried to when he asked you to join him, Aizen and Tosen in Hueco Mundo and Los Noches."

Kira jumped up, his plate spilling all over the carpet. "Take that back, Renji! Gin was a damned good captain. He cared about us." He turned to me. "I promised him that I would treat my fellow officers with respect and honor. I try but it's hard. Please believe me, Jewelz."

I could see tears in his eyes. I moved my plate from my lap to my dresser and stood toe-to-toe with my Kira. I wrapped my arms around his thin shaking form, pulling him close. He dropped his head onto my left shoulder, clenched his hands in the back of my shirt and started sobbing. I glared at Renji. The Sixth Lieutenant rolled his eyes, shook his head and left the room. I don't know how long we stood like that before my lights flickered. I looked up at Jonah.

_What's up, baby?_

_T-o-s-h-i-r-o is wondering what's going on between K-i-r-a and R-e-n-j-i._

_Stupid mistakes and an argument over his former captain. Do you mind getting these dishes and the rest of the food out of here? Leave the tea. He'll want some in a few minutes._

My younger brother nodded and got the plates, utensils and spilled food from Kira's plate before leaving the room. He smiled over his shoulder at me and disappeared downstairs to the kitchen.

"Thank you for letting me get that out of my system, Jewelz," Kira whispered, pulling away and wiping his face on his sleeve. "I guess that I was long overdue to cry out my frustrations and anger. Can I stay with you tonight, Jewelz?"

"You stay with me every night, you crazy blonde man," I joked. "But yes, you may sleep in my bed tonight. Nothing more than sleeping though, because if you get any ideas, I'm kicking you out from here to Timbuktu."

He chuckled, landing a kiss on my lips and pushing me back onto my bed. I returned the kiss fiercely, my arms wrapping around his neck to pull him closer. His hands roamed my hundred and twenty pound frame through my clothes. I pulled back first to catch my breath.

"Would you care for the rest of our tea before we officially go to bed?"

"Yeah, might as well."

He stood and poured both cups full, handing one to me. We sat next to each other on my bed as we continued to talk about our pasts and what we wanted for the future. I handed him my cup and he set both back on the dresser, blowing out both candles while he was there. Before he could turn to look at me when he sat back down, I snaked my arms under his, rested my fingertips on his shoulders and my left cheek settled between his shoulder blades. I could hear his steady heartbeat as he covered my hands with his.


	3. The Unnamed Feeling

Chapter 3 – The Unnamed Feeling

I felt warm and comfortable. A slight breeze was rustling the hair by my left ear. I sighed happily and smiled. I deeper under my old blue and yellow quilt. That's when I felt something shift on the bed behind me. My eyes shot open as I sat up and turned. I let my breath out slowly as I saw Kira laying there, a peaceful expression on his face. I traced his left cheekbone to get him to wake up. He slowly opened his eyes, a small smile turning up the corners of his mouth.

"You always look so cute when you smile like that after waking up. It makes me want to jump out of bed and do a stupid little happy dance."

"That would be lovely, Jewelz," he mumbled sleepily. "What's for breakfast? I'm absolutely starving for waffles and bacon."

The lights flickered. _Breakfast if ready, sister, Jonah signed quickly. T-o-s-h-i-r-o said to hurry up and get ready. He also said that you will help them find suitable clothing before they go back to Japan. Money issues will be taken care of by them._

I pushed Kira away a little. _Thanks for the update, baby. Did T-o-s-h-i-r-o say what was for breakfast? Both of us are hungry like you wouldn't believe._

My younger brother smiled. _Your favorite, sister. Waffles, bacon and coffee._

"Looks like you're getting your waffles and bacon, Izuru," I told the man next to me. "I'm getting my coffee, too." I yawned and stretched, my back cracking. "All of it complements of your fellow captain, Toshiro. Come on, before it gets any later."

He nuzzled my elbow before getting out of bed and waving me behind him. I stopped him and pointed out that he was wearing nothing but a pair of Jonah's old boxers. He smiled goofily as I tossed his jeans at him and straightened my oversized night shirt. Kira smiled again as we followed my brother downstairs to the kitchen. I smelled delectable scents wafting up to me when we were halfway down the carpeted stairwell.

"It's about damn time you two got your happy asses out of bed," Renji declared. "I thought for sure that you two would stay up there all day and make us starve to death."

"Morning to you, too, Red," I snapped. "If it were up to me, we would have. If you don't want to starve, there's a Burger King right down the street that's open for twenty-four hours. Now lay off before I bash your stupid red-haired pineapple looking head in. I just woke up and I'm hungry."

I took the only empty chair, Kira taking a rather protective stance behind me. Toshiro set a plate of waffles and bacon in front of me with a bottle of syrup and a cup of coffee. I drizzled the syrup over both breakfast foods as Ayasegawa and Ikkaku got up, heading for the couch and the television set. Kira sat next to me as I began shoveling my breakfast into my almost overeager mouth.

"Slow down, Jewelz," Kira chided. "Unless you want to choke, you should know that I am a little out of practice with what you call CPR here."

I swallowed. "Sorry, Izuru," I said, taking a sip of coffee. "When I'm hungry, don't bother me. Ask Dad and he'll tell you the God honest truth."

"I haven't heard anyone use Kira's given name since we were placed in the Fifth Division. It was always Kira this and Kira that up until now. Man I miss our Academy days. By the way, Izuru, have you heard from Shuhei-senpai recently?"

"You mean apart from the fact that he's keeping your bed warm, Renji?"

"Very funny, Kira," the red-head muttered. "I wouldn't be talking about keeping beds warm when you slept with him the night he graduated."

Kira turned beet red at that. "That was personal, Renji. I would have told you, Jewelz, but I figured that it was too soon to divulge any more secrets."

"I've dated a bisexual guy before, so it doesn't bother me, Izuru," I mumbled around a mouthful of waffles. "I assure you it's fine." I swallowed before turning to Renji. "What's going on between you and this Shuhei person, Red?"

"Nothing of any kind of importance," he chuckled.

I shrugged and finished my waffles. Kira was halfway through his bacon when I pushed my plate away and started in on my coffee. I looked over the rim of my cup at him. He patted me on the back of my right hand lovingly. I smiled into my coffee before setting my cup down and resting my chin on my left fist. I was seriously starting to think that Izuru Kira was stealing my heart. He pulled his hand back and took a sip of his own coffee while I took another sip of mine.

"Oi! Toshiro! Jonah told me that you would be providing the funds for your wardrobe while you stay here. And Izuru told me about how your glasses are always getting broken whenever you get into a fight with that Ichigo kid, Red. I'm going with you to find a pair that's in the here and now. And I think that I can raid Dad's closet for you, Ikkaku."

The bald man tilted his head back a little in Ayasegawa's lap to look at me. He smiled at my offer as the effeminate man laid a hand on his rather long neck. I wiggled my eyebrows at him and he chuckled, returning his attention to whatever he was watching with his girly boyfriend. They were staying in the guest room next door to mine, so I heard everything that went on between them. Kira cleared his throat and I looked at him.

"What's up, Izuru?" I asked quietly.

"I'm not really one for shopping. I guess it's because I was always so used to having my clothes being fitted by the people I hired with the money my parents left me after they died. I don't even know what would look good on me anyways."

I laid my hand over his clenched left fist and squeezed lovingly. I knew that it was hard for him to talk about his parents. He twitched his hand until he was clasping my fingers in his thin, pale ones. He smiled at me, let go of my hand and turned to finish his breakfast. We had both finished our coffee when Renji took our plates and cups to the sink and began scrubbing relentlessly on both syrup-sticky plates. I gave Kira a questioning look.

"He always got stuck with Kitchen duty when we were at the Academy," he answered. "So, Toshiro, when are we leaving on our 'shopping' trip?"

"As soon as everyone is dressed and ready, including the two love birds snogging out there on the couch."

I looked through the doorway leading to the living room to see that Toshiro's cold underlying order had broken the rather intimate contact between the two men. Renji snickered at the sink, Toshiro snorted from the bottom of the stairs and I felt Kira's knowing squeeze on my forearm. I rolled my eyes and stood up, pulling Kira up with me. We made our way upstairs so that I could get dressed and ready for the day before raiding Dad's closet for the six foot tall bald man lounging on the couch. I pulled out my favorite pink off the shoulder top, _Mom warned me about boys like you…I can't wait!_ printed in sparkling white letters on it, and my famous Xana Die jeans with a dragon stitched in green and blue just under the lip of the left pocket. I kissed Kira on the cheek, handed him his shirt and made for the bathroom on the opposite side of the room Ayasegawa and Ikkaku were using. I shut the door, turned the water on, stripped and got in. I had just rinsed the shampoos from my shoulder length magenta hair when I heard the door squeak open.

"Jewelz?" Kira asked. "Jonah wanted to know where you went. I told him that you were in the shower. Is that okay?"

I poked my head around the shower curtain and saw that Kira's head was just inside the doorway. I grabbed my towel, turned the water off, dried my wet skin, and got dressed before pushing past Kira and making a bee-line for Jonah's bedroom. I flicked the light switch a couple times to get my younger brother's attention. He looked up at me.

_What's up, baby?_ I asked. _What's so damned important that you had to get me out of the shower for?_

_R-e-n-j-i told me that we're supposed to be in the S-e-i-r-e-i-t-e-I right now. Did he tell you this, sister?_

_Yes. About a week ago. Besides, you're still not well enough to even travel what they call the P-r-e-c-i-p-i-c-e W-o-r-l-d. remember when the doctor told you that you need at least a two month recovery time? We need to wait at least another week and a half before we go._

_I want to leave as soon as possible though, sister,_ he whined. _Both of us are already done with our degrees, so why can't we leave now?_

_Doctor's orders, baby,_ I replied._ You know how you get when you travel after Doctor M-a-n-i-f-r-e-d tells you get plenty of bed rest. That includes traveling to the S-o-u-l S-o-c-e-i-t-y._

He slumped his shoulders, nodded and lay back down to finish his book. I turned to Kira. The look on his face told me that he understood enough to tell Renji that we wouldn't be leaving for another week and a half. I leaned my forehead against his and wrapped my arms around his neck. He snaked his arms around my waist and held me close. A few long moments later, I pulled away from him.

"I still need to find clothes for Ikkaku, Izuru," I whispered. "Care to help?"

He nodded and smiled, following me like a lost puppy to the master bedroom's rather expansive closet on the first floor. I cleared my throat when I reached the living room. Ayasegawa looked over at me and signed that Ikkaku had fallen asleep. The bald man's bare feet were resting on the arm rest closest to me, so I decided to begin wiggling each individual toe to wake him up. By the time I got to the toe next to his pinky toe, he was still asleep and Ayasegawa was smiling like an idiot. I wiggled his pinky toe and he shot up, reaching for what I guess was his sword.

"Calm down, Ikkaku-kun," the peacock said, laying a hand on his shoulder. "We'll be leaving to find some decent clothing in a few minutes, so Jewelz is helping you by going through her father's closet to find something that fits you a little better before we head out."

"Yeah, what he said, Baldy," I said, hiding behind Kira. "Would you really strike the woman that's trying to help you look even a little normal?"

"I don't care if she's trying to help me get a hard on! If she calls me 'Baldy' even one more time, she's still gonna get it!"

Kira and I slowly backed out of the room while Ayasegawa tried to calm his raging bald lover down. I couldn't help but smile when we were standing just outside the master bedroom across the hallway from the first floor half bath. Kira leaned into me, our lips connecting and his thin fingers running through my still damp hair. My left hand left hand rested on his ribcage while my right arm was draped over his shoulder, my fingers twirling his pale blonde neck hairs. A double vibration under my shoulder blades told me that someone besides Jonah and Kira wanted my attention. Kira pulled away to see who it was and he frowned, turning back to me. I looked.

"What's up, Toshiro?"

"We're leaving for the nearest department store. Jonah gave us his 'cell phone' so that the four of you can find us."

With that, he turned and left, Ikkaku almost immediately taking his place. An evil smile played across his lips before a loud _thunk_ met my ears. Ikkaku was rubbing his bowed head and I could see Ayasegawa holding a bamboo sword over where he had just smacked the bald Third Seat.

"Keep him in line with this, if you can. See you later, you two."

We both nodded as we lead Ikkaku into Dad's closet. I immediately began pulling shirts and pants off hangars and handed them to Kira. I looked at the six foot tall bald man with my left eye while I scrunched my right eye closed. I took a pair of pants from Kira, shoved them at Ikkaku and pointed him to the bathroom that was caddy corner across from the closet. He nodded once, made for the bathroom and shut the door loudly.

"Now what?"

"Now we wait for a few minutes."

I weighed the bamboo sword in my left hand until Ikkaku came stumbling out, Dad's blue jeans showing the waistband of yet another pair of Jonah's old boxers. I almost choked and I heard Kira's quick breathy intake of air. I turned back to the closet to find a belt, which was hanging from the hook on the door. I rolled it up and tossed to Ikkaku, who caught it easily. After looping it through the belt loops, he tightened it until he could fasten it comfortably. He then pulled off the tight little shirt he had on, tossing it on top of the too short pants he arrived in.

"Those work. Try this shirt."

I tossed him a vintage Mountain Dew shirt and he pulled it on quickly. The red Dew lettering was just enough to draw attention to his red eye markings. I smiled at him, gave a double thumbs up and turned to Kira. I held up a vintage Captain America shirt, pointed to his Hello Kitty top and snapped. He nodded and quickly changed them out, tossing the blue shirt on top of Ikkaku's pile. The blue tied in with his eye color while the red of the costume clashed lightly with his corn silk colored hair.

"Now we can leave without drawing too much attention to ourselves. I just need to send a text to Toshiro and the rest to tell them that we're on our way. I almost want to say that I can't wait for this day to end!"

I felt Ikkaku behind me, reaching for the slim bamboo sword. I spun around grabbed it and smacked him neatly on the forehead.

"I'll be holding on to this for a while, Ikkaku. Renji told me about your temper tantrums when someone brings up your rather smooth head. I didn't believe him until a few minutes ago."

He started rubbing the red spot on his forehead, grumbling about abuse. I sighed, pulled my phone out of my pocket and sent a text to Jonah's phone. I waved the two seated officers behind me so that I could get Jonah and meet up with Renji, Toshiro and Ayasegawa. I motioned for them to stay by the front door while I beelined for Jonah's room at the top of the stairs. I flicked the lights twice and waited. My younger brother looked up at me, a question in his eyes.

_We're ready to leave, baby. I-k-k-a-k-u looks decent and K-i-r-a's outfit is much improved just because he changed his top. I'm glad I talked Dad into keeping those shirts._

_The vintage ones? Which ones did you use on them sister?_

_Yes. I used the Mountain Dew one on Baldy and the Captain America one for my Blondie. Now come on, baby. We have a date with a shopping spree._

He stood and followed me, a great big smile on his face. We met up with Kira and Ikkaku at the front door a few minutes later. I had just locked the front door behind me when my phone vibrated, signaling that I had gotten a text message. I pulled it out, flipping it open. I read the text quickly before closing it and pushing it back into my pocket.

_"They're at the Regency Dillard's,"_ I announced to my small group. _"I guess that we can get taxi out there. Otherwise it's a long walk. Right, baby?"_

Jonah nodded. I lead the way to the top of the street before whistling shrilly for a cab. I saw Kira wince out of the corner of my eye. Ikkaku merely yawned and began twisting his left pinky in his ear. Jonah gripped my hand tightly. I squeezed it in a comforting a living way as a taxi stopped in front of us. I ushered Jonah into the backseat first with me closely behind him and Kira closely behind me. Ikkaku climbed into the front seat with a snort.

"Where to, you four?"

"Regency Square Mall, please. We're meeting some friends out there."

"Did one have white hair?"

"Yeah," I answered. "One had red hair and the other one had feathers attached to his face. Why do you ask?"

"I just drove them out there. The white haired kid paid me to come back and get you for your ride out there."

_What's going on, sister?_

_T-o-s-h-i-r-o has already paid our way to Regency, baby. Don't worry about it anymore. Just worry about how you can help the S-o-u-l R-e-a-p-e-r-s._

He nodded as he turned to the world outside the car window. Kira reached his left arm around my shoulders and I leaned into him. A few minutes later, the cab stopped at the entrance to the Regency Square Food Court. I handed the driver a five dollar bill as thanks and all four of us scrambled to get into the mall. Ikkaku was walking in front of us, his hands clasped behind his bald head, Kira was to my right, our fingers laced together, and Jonah was lagging behind to my left, his right hand knotted in the fabric of my shirt.

We stepped inside and Ikkaku began to look at the map. He was tilting his head every which way to try and understand what he was looking at. I chuckled as I stepped up next to him.

"We are here," I explained, pointing to a yellow marker with my left index finger. "We want to be here." Next, I pointed to large purple area with DILLARD'S printed in the middle. "However, there are a few places that I want to check out on the way there. Of course, I'll have to get a hold of Toshiro and tell him."

"Tell me what, Bluewind?" Toshiro drawled from my right.

"There are a few places that I want to go to between here and Dillard's," I answered. "I promise that I won't take long. And we still need lunch. I'm sure that you won't mind giving my brother his phone back while you're standing here."

The four and a half foot captain handed the slim silver flip phone to my brother and headed toward one of the restaurants on the outer edge of the food court. Ayasegawa looped his right arm around Ikkaku's waist, his left hand held out for the bamboo sword tucked under my own belt. I handed it to him and both men followed Toshiro's lead toward the chosen restaurant. I laced my fingers with Kira's again and allowed Jonah to keep his grip on the back of my shirt.

"What can I get for you today?" the girl behind the counter asked.

"Two orders of General Tso's chicken, three egg rolls and an extra order of rice, steamed and white, if you please."

She nodded as her fingers flew across her register keyboard, buttons beeping as they were hit. She rattled off the total and I dug out a twenty from my back pocket, handing it to her. She gave me the change, I thanked her and the three of us joined the four Soul Reapers waiting for their food.

"What places did you want to hit, Jewelz?"

"Several that you wouldn't know about. There's Hot Topic, Spencer's, Old Navy and a few others that I'm really debating on right now. Oh! And there's a sunglasses store right next door to Spencer's that you would like, Renji. Their prices are much more affordable than that place you told me about that you like to go to in the Soul Society. And they hold up better in fights. I would know because I bought a pair and they busted after my fifth fight."


	4. Groovy Kind of Love

Chapter 4 – Groovy Kind of Love

_But, sister,_ Jonah said, _it's Memorial Day. I want to go to Nathaniel's for his annual barbecue. Please?_

_Alright,_ I answered. "Izuru? Could you call Nathaniel and tell him that we're coming over for the barbecue?"

Kira nodded, turned and dialed Nathaniel's home number. I looked around my room for a minute before my eyes landed on my school issued laptop. I still had to return it to the college before the official graduation ceremony. I tapped Jonah on the knee to get his attention. I pointed to the laptop on my desk.

_We need to return our laptops before the graduation ceremony. Then we'll see if we can get Toshiro to get us our own laptops before we head to the Soul Society._

_Good thinking, sister,_ he replied.

"Hey, Jewelz," Kira said from the doorway. "Nathaniel just said that we can come over whenever we want. I say we leave now."

_I agree, sister. We can leave now and make it to Nate's place by dinner._

"Alright. Get everyone ready to go in fifteen minutes, Izuru. We're going to a barbecue at Nate's house."

Kira nodded and left, his quick instructions to Ikkaku and Ayasegawa filtering through the shared wall of our rooms. A minute or two later, I heard Kira's quick footsteps on the stairs headed for the kitchen where I knew that Toshiro and Renji were.

_Come on, baby. Let's get you ready._

He stood and went to his closet to begin pulling out his favorite red, white and blue clothing. He handed stuff to me and I began piling it up on his bed in outfits. A few minutes later, both of us stood by his almost overflowing twin-sized bed. He looked at me and pointed to one outfit that would make him look like the American Flag minus the stars. It was a red tank top, a whit button down shirt to go over it and he favorite worn down blue denim pants.

_You will look like a flag with that on, baby. Why not try this one?_

I pointed to a light blue button down T-shirt and a pair of jean shorts. He thought for a moment, his eyes going back and forth between his first choice and mine. He nodded, grabbed the hangars and disappeared into the half bath that was right next to his closet. I nodded once to myself before going back to my room to get ready. I was pulling on my favorite denim capris when a knock sounded on my door. I glanced over my left shoulder. It was Ayasegawa. I turned and tossed my shirt on my bed, grateful that I had my black camisole on.

"What's up, Ayasegawa?"

"Are there going to be ugly people there? I don't want to go if there are going to be ugly people around, Jewelz."

I rolled my eyes. "So full of yourself. In your opinion, there might be. It's just going to be us, Nate's family and Carrie. Now finish getting ready or I'll leave you behind without Ikkaku."

He rubbed the back of his head, turned and called to the bald Third seat to hurry up and finish getting ready. I smiled at my triumph, shut my door and pulled my shirt on. I was just putting some finishing touches on my make-up when I heard my door squeak open.

"I'm almost ready," I said. "I'm putting on my make-up then I promise that I'll be ready to leave."

"Uh, Jewelz," Kira asked, "I'm not sure that I have anything appropriate to where to this thing that you call a 'barbecue.' Do you think-"

"I'll get something from Jonah when I get done here, Izuru," I replied. "Just give me a minute."

I finished applying what little eye-shadow worked for me and joined Kira at the door. I waved him behind me to my younger brother's room, lacing our fingers together. He squeezed my hand as I flicked the lights a couple times to get Jonah's attention.

_What's up, sister?_

_Kira needs to borrow some clothes for the party, baby. Can he borrow some of yours?_

_Yeah, sure,_ he answered. _Try these._

Kira took the pants and shirt offered to him. The shirt was a vintage Spiderman tee and the pants were loose fitting denim. Then I ushered my boyfriend back to my room so that I could get him dressed. When we got inside the door, I shut it behind me before stripping Kira's dark blue Tommy Hilfiger shirt off. The shocked look on his face almost made me laugh.

"Hurry up and get dressed, Izuru. We're leaving as soon as you're ready."

I stood by my closed door while I watched him dress in Jonah's clothes, the Tommy Hilfiger shirt still clasped in my left hand. I enjoyed watching Kira's thin sinewy muscles work as he dressed. A few minutes later, he turned to me for approval. Something wasn't quite right about the shirt. I realized it was on backwards. I went over to him, guided his arms out of the arm holes, turned the shirt around while it was still around his neck and he laced his arms back through the arm holes.

"Have you ever worn clothes from the human world, Izuru?"

"Not often," he admitted. "Apart from being to the human world once in my Academy days, this is really only my second time here. I'm not even really counting that time that a bunch of us helped Ichigo save that girl Senna."

"Aren't captains supposed to travel to the human world a lot to keep an eye on their various subordinates?"

"Captain Ichimaru hardly ever did because I think that we only had like one or two people here."

I smoothed the shirt on his thin shoulders before he pulled me close and kissed me fiercely. I smiled into the kiss before pulling away quickly for air. I turned my head to the right a little so that he could nuzzle my cheek. I pushed him away some and wiggled out of his grasp before lacing our fingers together and leading him downstairs.

"How are we getting there, Jewelz?" Renji asked from the front door. "Unless you want to cramp seven people into a sedan, I suggest we either take two taxis or the bus."

"I have source," I told him, holding up a business card. "A friend of mine drives a taxi van, so I called her last night, telling her that we would be going somewhere today. Jonah?"

_Yes, sister?_

_Text S-a-n-t-a and tell her that we'll be at the end of the street. Use my phone._

He nodded, took my phone, flipped it open and began texting like crazy. I waved the group behind me while Jonah waited on a response from Santa. He tugged on my sleeve a few minutes later.

_Santa is ready and waiting, sister,_ he signed.

_Thanks, baby._ "Say, Renji," I said, turning to the red head. "Now that Jonah and I are done with college, how long does it normally take to get through the Academy?"

"The average time frame is six years. Some have gotten done in four years or less. Toshiro and Kaien Shiba got done in a year each. Too bad Lieutenant Shiba is dead. He was cool. Ask Rukia."

"Are you sure that you're ready for this, guys?" All five Soul Reapers nodded. "Good. Then we can head out and meet up with Santa at the top of the street."

Twenty minutes later, the seven of us were situated comfortably in Santa's taxi van. Toshiro was in the front passenger seat, staring out the window, Kira and I were in the seat behind him and the driver, Renji and Jonah were behind us and Ikkaku and Ayasegawa were behind them.

"Where to, Jewelz?"

"Redstream Residence. We're going for the annual Memorial Day Barbecue. You're more than welcome to join us if you're not too busy."

"I wish I could, baby, but I have to get someone from Regency to the Airport tonight for something. Maybe next year."

I pouted, making her laugh. From the angle I was sitting at, I could see Toshiro's reflection in the window. I knew he could see me and I saw his lips twitch in one of the few smiles that he let past his cold demeanor in the last six weeks.


End file.
